Warren Dunes drawing large crowds

Visitors to Warren Dunes State Park near Sawyer can look down on Lake Michigan from atop Tower Hill, the parkÂ¿s highest point at 240 feet above the lake. (South Bend Tribune/KEVIN ALLEN)

SAWYER — The beach stretches for three miles along Lake Michigan, while massive dunes pile up hundreds of feet above the shoreline like a mountain range made of sand.Six miles of trails wind through nearly 2,000 acres of diverse landscapes, from the sun-scorched dunes to cool, dense forests and quiet wetlands.It’s difficult to capture the full scale of Warren Dunes State Park in one sentence or one photograph. Everything — including the crowds — is big at this destination north of Sawyer.Many people regarded the sand dunes as worthless when Three Oaks industrialist Edward K. Warren bought the property in the early 1900s with conservation as his goal.The conventional wisdom at the time was the land couldn’t be farmed and, therefore, had no value.Oh, how opinions have changed.About 1.7 million people visited Warren Dunes last year, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Among Michigan’s state parks, only Holland State Park drew more attendance than Warren Dunes did in 2011.Many of the visitors come here to enjoy the sun, the lake and the beach, and to climb the dunes.Anyone willing to sweat their way to the top of one of these sandy peaks will be rewarded with an awe-inspiring view.It’s said that, on a clear day, a person can see the Chicago skyline from atop Tower Hill — the park’s tallest point at 240 feet above Lake Michigan. That wasn’t the case Sunday, but the view of the shimmering freshwater sea, which eventually blended at the horizon with the hazy blue sky, was no lessspectacular.“We’re so blessed to have this here,” said Mike Clymer as he gazed out at the lake from Tower Hill.The South Bend resident said he comes to Warren Dunes at least once every couple weeks.Clymer is working on a book of photos he’s taken during his trips here through all four seasons over the past 15 to 20 years. He said his photos illustrate the constantly changing nature of the dunes.Warren Dunes is extremely popular, but the park is built to accommodate a lot of people.“It’s quiet. Even when it’s crowded, it doesn’t feel crowded,” said Kristina Yapp, a Steger, Ill., resident who said she comes to Warren Dunes on most summer weekends with her family. “And there’s always parking.”Yapp’s husband and their three sons, ages 6, 9 and 15, were climbing the dunes while she sat by the water. “The boys love the big sand dunes,” she said.Warren Dunes also has some modern conveniences: a concession stand that sells meals and snacks, a small store that carries gifts and beach gear, a spot to rent kayaks and paddle boards, and what’s billed as the world’s largest inflatable water slide.“There are endless things to do around here. That’s for sure,” said Ryan Hulett, a Niles resident who was spending Sunday at the beach with his wife, Betsy, and their 3-year-old daughter, Kendal.The Huletts said they’ve been coming to Warren Dunes their entire lives.They’ve noticed the park is an attraction not just for locals but for people from all over the Midwest as well as other countries. “You see license plates from all over,” he said.Dennis Woodland, a professor of botany at Andrews University, has brought many of his classes here for field trips. He said Warren showed a great deal of foresight in protecting the dunes.“It is a remnant of the past,” Woodland said of the park. “So many of these (dunes in other areas) have been greatly modified. Many of them have been obliterated by sand mining.”If just one day at Warren Dunes isn’t enough, the park has 221 campsites, including three cabins, where people can spend the night.Visitors can even bring their dogs to the beach as long as they keep their canines on a leash and outside the buoys that mark the swimming area.One thing that’s not allowed in the park, at least from March 1 through Sept. 30, is alcohol.Staff writer Kevin Allen:kallen@sbtinfo.com574-235-6244If you goWhat: Warren Dunes State ParkWhere: 12032 Red Arrow Highway, SawyerHours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.Admission price: Michigan residents will need a recreation passport, available for $10 at a license branch or at the front gate. Out-of-state residents can pay $8 for a one-day pass or $29 for an annual pass, good for all Michigan state park properties.Where to park: Parking lots can be accessed off State Park Road.Lifeguard on duty: NoWarning flags available when rip currents present: YesCovered pavilions or shade available: YesPicnic facilities or concessions available: Yes, bothRestroom facilities: Public restrooms are located at the edge of the beach near the parking lot.More information:michigan.gov/warrendunes or 269-426-4013